BIONICLE: Shadow's Scar
by Kongu364
Summary: an unlikely group of Toa are brought together to an exotic island to stop the twisted experiments of a rogue Makuta on the inhabitants, but not all Toa are the heroes they appear to be.
1. PROLOGUE

**Prologue**

Gamorr took the steps down the rugged cliff face as fast as his dying torch could illuminate them in the dark storm. The wind threw twisted shapes on the cliff wall in the torch's light, making his shadow look like some distorted elongated creature. In another time it might have unnerved him, but he had seen things tonight that had shown him he had more to fear than shadows. That was why he, Sarcen, Zenair, Rye and two others were running for their lives, navigating their way through the thunderstorm down a long forgotten path cut out of the jagged cliff side. Bar the diminishing torchlight that feebly lit their way, they were consumed by the rain and darkness.

The winding path was narrow and slippery under foot. On the right were the remains of a safety rail now rusted and in disrepair. None of them clung to it for support for fear of it coming loose from the rock and sending them down into the cold angry sea below, instead they hugged the mossy cliff side as they descended down to the beach. One of the matoran, whose name Gamorr did not know, lost his footing and cried out as he landed awkwardly on his leg. Gamorr helped him to his feet and they hurried on. He did not ask the matoran his name for it was easier that way. If they got out of this alive he would ask him.

They reached the beach and almost to the boathouse when they heard them. Gamorr's blood ran cold and as soon as his first foot hit the sand he sprinted in the direction of the boat house. The others tried desperately to keep up for fear the second they left the torches illuminating bubble the creatures would snatch them away like the others. Filled with a spark of hope the boathouse appeared at the corner of the torch light and grew into a tall wooden building covered in vines and twisted plant life. Behind them the sounds grew louder and closer, the sound of heavy claws and paws bounding on wet sand. Gamorr opened the door and the others piled in. the matoran who had slipped on the rocks came in last panting heavily, as he turned to shut the door a hooked tail wrapped around his waist and wrenched him back through the doorway, His hand still firmly on the door latch he pulled it shut behind him as he tried in vain to hold on before he disappeared into the dark. They didn't even hear him scream.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

If there was one thing Kalinga knew he could always rely on, it was his exceptional amount of luck. He had always had it, didn't know how or why, but whenever it was needed it was there. Right now as he looked across the table at the stone cold poker faces of Korbus and Kabuto, he hoped it hadn't deserted him or he'd be losing a painful amount of widgets on this game. He rolled the five dice around in his palm as he calculated his odds.

"What do I still need?" Kabuto looked down at the scrappy piece of parchment he was recoding the scores on and smiled.

"You need a high roll of fives or a Yahtzee, or else you're out and I win." He sat back and crossed his arms in a passive smugness. Nodding to Kalinga's handful of dice, he shook them in his fist one more time and rolled them. They clattered across the metal table.

A two

_Shit_

Another two and another

_Oh?_

Two more landed side up with two dots on their worn ivory surface. The last one still tumbled now nearing the edge of the table; if it fell he would have to take the whole roll again. It teetered on the edge before resting still in its place

A two

The all stared at the five now identical dice in stunned silence. A smile began to creep its way into the corner of Kalinga's mouth. Kabuto pointed an angry finger at him across the table

"Don't say it, I swear to god don't say it" Kalinga threw up his hands in mock surprise and had to purse his lips to stifle a laugh.

"That's Yahtzee" he whispered. Kabuto stood, knocking his chair over and turning heads throughout the ferry port as he mounted the table and tackled Kalinga to the ground. The green Toa for his part burst out laughing as his friend pinned him beneath him.

"You cheated I know you cheated, how did you do it?" Kalinga still held his hands above his head in mock surrender even on the floor.

"I did not, you saw me roll yourself, no tricks." Kabuto stayed there for a moment looking down at him like he was going to continue the argument but decided against it; instead he stood and offered a hand. Kalinga took it and dusted himself down.

"Keep the widgets; we don't have much left anyway." He around at the other people in the ferry port who had gone back to what they were doing when they had realised the fight was just a friendly scuffle.

"Speaking of widgets" said Korbus. "We've been in Metru Nui three days, shouldn't we start making our way further into the city and finding some work now? Let's knuckle down and earn some decent pay, body guards, convoy escort, anything. Then we can afford to travel again. We basically spent the last of our widgets getting here so now I don't see why you're so intent on us skulking round a Le-Metru port for days on end"

"Just one more day I know there will be something here for us please, trust me." Kalinga could tell by the look on Korbus' mask that his words had not inspired the burly fire Toa.

"One more day at the port that's all you're getting. ONE more day, then I insist we head to the inner city and find some work just for a little while." Korbus lent down and picked up Kabuto's chair that still lay where it had fallen. He discreetly glanced over to the two Vorzakh that had been looking their way since Kabuto had sailed over the table. The two robotic enforcers had had their staffs drawn but now holstered them again and turned back to monitor the larger crowd in the bazaar. "And for gods sakes try not to draw so much attention over a damn dice game. We don't want to kicked out before we're even in. they're stricter here, more civilised."

"Fair enough a day will be fine I'm sure" Kalinga replied. Kabuto gathered up the dice in a small burgundy pouch and tied it with string before returning it to a place on his belt, the dice chittered against the many other items and trinkets Kabuto kept on his person.

"Let's mingle" Said Kabuto. "Why don't you check out those Toa over there and see if they know of anyone going someplace interesting". He pointed toward three toa standing and sitting on a pile of cargo crates next to the harbour masters office. One, a short and stocky toa of fire wearing a Kanohi Hau, was propped up against a crate snoozing. Tied to his back was a wooden sign that drifted up and down smoothly with the sleeping toa's breathing. It read "TOA FOR HIRE"

"Okay, and what are you going to do?" korbus' tone indicated he knew Kabuto was likely to walk around the bazaar and sweet talk some poor trader into selling him some useless tat for far less than its worth, and that kabuto would no doubt see as treasure. The brown toa's backpack was bulging with items that "will definitely come in useful at some point" according to him. On the outside of his pack hung more junk; a turaga staff he had found (and always swore that one day he would find the owner of and return it to them, even though Korbus was pretty sure they were dead). Two Kanohi masks also clunked behind him as the empty eye sockets blankly stared at passers-by, a Kakama and an Akaku which both Kalinga and korbus had never seen him use once, but Kabuto assured them they would get him out of a sticky situation one day.

"I'm going to take Kalinga here and do some networking of our own". He smiled and slapped his hand on his friends shoulder who had been busy staring down the Vorzakh that kept eyeing them up every now and then since the dice game. "What? Yes… sure". Korbus scoffed and rolled his eyes as he paid the Matoran at the counter and left the shade of the shop's parasol and walked toward the group of toa on the crates.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Kabuto eagerly dragged Kalinga into the crowd of people going about their business in the Bazar. He scanned the stalls and carts with keen eyes in the hopes of spotting something of value. Kalinga was more interested with the variety of species here all in one place. The majority of which were matoran, a large amount clad in green and emerald hues since this was the Le-matoran district of the city. There were also others who stood out amongst the rest; tall slender vortixx from the island of Xia who were selling bespoke tools and machinery. The Vahki Vorzakh kept them under close watch to make sure they were not trying to sell the artisan weapons their species was famous for producing; if you wanted a weapon, of any description you could think of, Xia and the vortixx was where to go. A crew of broad shouldered sailors from the island of Stelt carried two heavy wooden crates on their shoulders and matoran quickly moved out their way as they walked down the avenue. They weren't known for being the brightest species unlike their cunning vortixx neighbours but their strength made them great for hired muscle.

Kabuto approached a stall run by a tall matoran in white and gold armour. He stood leaning against the side of his shop, which sold small weapons and survival equipment, he had his arms crossed and acknowledged the pair of toa with a nod. Kabuto grinned and rubbed his hands together in delight as he looked over what the matoran was selling.

There were throwing axes, hammocks, crafting knives, heat stones, light stones, volo spheres, even a backpack made of genuine Rahkshi hide. Kabuto and Kalinga were very familiar with Rahkshi. They were evil creatures created by the Makuta. They came in many different breeds and possessed a variety of different powers. A Turaga that studied them had theorised that their level of sentience was dictated by their connection to the Makuta that made them; a level one Rahkshi was considered feral and wild, acting purely on instinct and self-preservation. They roamed alone and instinctively hunted matoran and Rahi. The higher the level the more intelligence they had; on occasion, exceptionally rare high level Rahkshi had been seen speaking in the matoran language and proved more than a match for a single toa. The reptilian hide in the matoran's shop likely came from a low level and feral individual but it was still a rare find. Kabuto pointed and asked the Matoran how much he wanted for it.

"Seventy widgets, that's straight from the Tren Krom Peninsula, nasty place down there. A Toa sold it to me on the trip here, name was Lesovikk or something, said he had a real hard time getting it and I believe him. It's worth the widgets." Kabuto winked at Kalinga and offered the matoran half what he was asking. The trader frowned and politely replied "Erm, I don't think I can accept that my friend, it's seventy widgets or nothing." Kalinga frowned wondering what Kabuto was trying to pull when he realised what his friend was about to do. He discreetly grabbed Kabuto's hand and whispered close to his ear "Hey, we said we weren't gonna do this anymore. This isn't starting new, is it?" the Toa of stone looked at him with a torn look and eventually smiled. "Just one more time, he's asking way too much and its daylight robbery anyway- if it wasn't us he'd be conning someone else."

"That's not the point" he hissed. Kabuto shrug him off and turned back to the confused trader. "I think thirty widgets will be enough don't you think?" as he said the words, slowly and softly, his mask brightened very slightly at the edges as he called upon its power to control unshielded minds.

"I… I think that would be pretty reasonable actually, come to think of It." the trader mumbled and slowly reached out to take the thirty widgets Kabuto was offering. Kalinga had had enough and stamped on Kabuto's foot breaking his concentration. "ow!" he jumped back clutching his boot and hopped a couple of times before Kalinga dragged him away into the crowd "sorry we just need to discuss a few things we'll be back" he called over his shouldered to the matoran who was shaking his head in a dazed confusion.

"I can't believe you what the hell"

"Get off, it's not like you've never stolen anything you can't come at me all innocent like this" Kabuto shook off Kalinga's hand from his shoulder and righted the collection of objects on his backpack. Kalinga opened his mouth but didn't say anything at first, he just looked down and sighed

"I know… I know. But I'm trying we all are. We can't just do what we want any more if we want to fit in. I know it's hard and I'm not innocent either but robbing matoran? C'mon we never used to do that"

"He was robbing me! And I was going to pay him what it was worth that wasn't robbery it-"

"Okay I get it I get it. Look we both have a pretty messed up experience in what's right and wrong but we don't have Emburse to smack us on the wrists if we do something bad so we have to be careful, even whilst we're learning"

"Yeah I know old habits die hard you know. And like, I don't want to pretend I'm someone I'm not for the sake of pleasing other people."

Kalinga smiled at his fiend. "You won't don't worry. Working for stuff and not stealing isn't changing who we are that's just improving ourselves. Not all our jobs were stealing and when we did it was from Makuta, or the dark hunters or Zyglak; people that actually WERE evil" at that Kabuto looked a little less troubled and replied softly

"I just wanna get on with saving people, that's the fun part of being a Toa. None of this milling around waiting for work we need adventure not to be stuck in this city."

Kalinga smiled "we won't be stuck here we always find some where to go and an adventure to be had. Me, you and Korbus that's the way it's always been and the way it always will be" they clasped hands and bumped fists and turned back to where Korbus had gone to speak to the other toa. "Do you wanna tell him we just wasted ten minutes or shall I?" kabuto narrowed his eyes and picked out korbus and the three toa talking by the harbourmasters office. With them appeared to be several very distressed matoran.

"Perhaps we won't have to; I think he's found trouble himself"


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

**A few moments ago **

Korbus stood watching the three strangers from a few metres away behind some harbour machinery. The one holding the sign was still sleeping against the crate with the sign still tied to the pole on his back whilst he snored lightly. He was shorter and bulkier than the other two. He was A young toa of fire who wore a ruby red Kanohi Hau; the mask of shielding. On top of the crates sat a tall blue female. He didn't recognise the strange mask she wore which, along with her shoulder armour, was matt gold; a toa of psionics? Korbus wondered. If she was then she would likely already have sensed his interest with the three of them but she didn't seem to notice his presence as he scoped them out from afar. Probably water then, but why the gold? Lastly was a bright white and orange being; clearly a toa of plasma. On his back sat a round spiked shield and an expensive protosteel sword. He wore a Kanohi Huna; a mask of invisibility. Korbus smiled as he thought how useful the gift of invisibility must be when most of your body is bright orange.

He wanted to go and strike up the conversation so when the other two inevitably came back with nothing but more trinkets they would at least have a starting point for something to do. But he was nervous though, he didn't find speaking to new people all that easy like Kalinga or kabuto, although no one expected it as he was physically larger and stronger than both of them. Not by much but enough that no one would mess with him, or his giant war hammer. He reckoned that also had something to do with it.

Plucking up his courage he was about to take a step out from the shadow of there was a shout from over the side of the harbour.

"Help! Help us! We have injured please!" the blue and orange toa leapt from the crates and ran to the railing, the female grabbed her sleeping friend on the way

"Up Turk up!" he was pulled to his feet and nearly tripped as he tried his best to figure out what was going on. Korbus ran toward the railing as well, stopping to help the dazed toa up. He offered Turk a hand and the young toa thanked him as they both ran to the side of the harbour wall. On the other side in the water was a small catamaran barley big enough for the five matoran that were manning it. It was battered and the sail was badly broken in several places. A red matoran shouted again whilst waving up at the crowd

"Please! My friend is badly hurt!" the blue Toa mounted the rail and gracefully dove into the still water. Beneath the surface korbus could see her moving with incredible speed and reached the boat in no time. She climbed up onto the tiny deck onto what little room there was left, she moved carefully as even her weight began to tip the tiny craft.

"What's happened are you alright?" she looked over the five matoran all desperately talking over each other. One, a dark green Le-matoran was huddled in a corner mumbling "it's too noisy it's too noisy!" and smacking his mask whilst a white and a blue Matoran were trying to calm him down; humming softly whilst the other held him in a comforting bear hug.

"Is it him whose hurt? What's wrong with him?" she asked the fire matoran who had called to them.

"No not him he'll be okay he just gets a sensory overload when things get to much for him Rye and Marek can look after him it's my friend Sarcen come quickly" the red matoran led her to the back of the catamaran and under a makeshift cover to sheltered the injured sailor from the sun. The brown matoran lay on his back and moaned in restless sleep.

"What happened to him?" she asked, looking at the deep wound on his chest. It appeared that they had tried their best to patch it up with crude bandages made from what looked like dried sea weed but this matoran would need help quickly if he was going to survive.

"Monsters did it, on the way here. We came looking for help on another island south of here but these things came out of the rocks on the beach they looked like giant crabs and Sarcen-"

"Okay tell me later we need to get him to my friends right now one of them is a healer, then you can tell us everything"

"Thank you toa, thank you. My name is Gamorr what's yours?"

"I'm Maya, pleasantries later, we need to focus on your friend" she moved out of the tarpaulin and knelt at the side of the boat so she could dip her hand in the harbour water; extending her power to it she willed the currents to obey her. Slowly ripples began to surround the boat as the water stirred, gentle at first then more powerful as she focused them into a strong current that started to carry them safely to the shore.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

the four toa helped the matoran ashore, Maya carried Sarcen in her arms and Turk rushed to meet her "help him" she said, passing him over to the Toa of fire who laid him down and rustled around in his pack before pulling out some leaves and vials full of colourful liquid. She saw Gamorr fidgeting restlessly as he watched.

"Don't worry, Turk will take care of him he's great at doing that" Turk turned and smiled at her before popping open one of the vials. Gamorr nodded but didn't look away from Sarcen where he lay on the floor. Nearby Korbus and the toa of plasma were speaking to the Vahki which had marched over to see what the disturbance was but they were assuring them that they had the matter in hand. "Tell me what happened" she said softly, these matoran were clearly in shock and she was careful not to press them for information too soon. Gamorr turned to her but still didn't stop looking at Sarcen for a few moments more.

"Are you sure he will be okay?" she knelt down and put a hand on his shoulder; she gently turned him toward her and smiled. "I promise" Gamorr looked down as he tried to recall their ordeal.

"Erm something attacked us on Karzahni, as soon as we got to the beach these creatures came out of the rocks and tried to drive us back into the sea. They were Rahi but their eyes looked so, intelligent. They could definitely understand us and Sarcen ran up to them shouting that we had only come for help I told him not to I screamed at him. Then one of them slashed him across the chest and we only just made it away in time they didn't follow us off the beach they just watched from the shore"

"Why on earth would you ever go to Karzahni? No one goes in or out it's off limits to everyone no one really knows what's there, just death" Gamorr looked up at her and she could see how scared he was, even here safe in Metru Nui.

"The things that are happening to us back home; I would walk straight up to the gates of Odina if it meant we had a chance of stopping it. Please Toa, I'll tell you everything but you have to help us" something in the little matoran's words shook Maya; what could make a group of un-armed matoran try to seek help on Karzahni of all places. They must have been so desperate. She nodded "we will help you, my friends and I will do what we can but first let's get everyone somewhere safe and you can tell me every detail.

…

Maya turned as two toa of air and stone jogged onto the scene. She stood up and addressed them. "Who are you two?" she asked politely. The toa of air spoke for both of them as he smiled;

"My name's Kalinga and this Kabuto. I see you've already met Korbus" she turned to where he was pointing; the toa of fire that was helping Baccara with the intrusive Vahki patrol. "We haven't been introduced but I saw him help my friends. Anyway, sorry, I'm Maya. That's Turk helping those matoran, and Baccara is the one with your friend. Do you know these matoran?" the two newcomers shook their heads

"No, no we just saw the commotion and wanted to help."

"Thank you that's really very kind but I'm sure we can handle it six toa seems a bit over kill for something like this" Kalinga sensed the opportunity slipping through his fingers and pressed on.

"It's no trouble, we were looking for something to do and maybe we could see them on their way when everything's calmed down" she eyed them warily as she thought on it. She didn't know these Toa and liked to keep her company to those she trusted. She was always shy around new people and it took some time for her to trust them, but for now she couldn't think of an excuse to turn them down, they had as much right to be here as she did.

"Okay" she smiled through her anxiety. "Where are you from I haven't seen or heard of you before? Kalinga and korbus locked eyes for a spilt second before looking back at her, nothing out of the ordinary but she found it strange, like the question panicked them.

"not from round here, an island far south I doubt you would have heard of it aha, but lately we've been travelling north looking for adventure where we can" it seemed a reasonable enough explanation but she still kept her guard up, too many people had stabbed her in the back and she wasn't going to fall for a warm smile and charismatic talking.

"Fair enough well it looks like you might have found it" she shared with them what Gamorr had told her on the boat and their eyebrows rose when she reached the part about the beach of Karzahni.

"Are they mad? They should never have gone there."

"They're not mad, they're scared. I want to know what could be bad enough that they'd run up to the monsters that guard that place looking for help" they all turned and looked to where Turk was tending to Sarcen. He had stopped moaning and was sleeping in the shade of the crates they had laid him next too. The other two matoran were keeping their green armoured friend preoccupied; he was now laughing happily as the Ga matoran did a display of magic tricks with her hands, "I think that Le-matoran is a bit, different. Just be extra nice when you talk to him" said Amaya, Kalinga smiled

"I have a friend back home who's very similar; I used to look after him. I think he's just the same. They have a unique view of the wold but I think it's beautiful" Amaya looked at him

"I'm glad you think so, his difference should be seen as a gift, not a disadvantage" their peaceful moment was interrupted as the toa of plasma; Baccara, waved the three over.

"Did they tell you what happened to them yet?" Amaya looked over at Gamorr who had composed himself and was talking calmly with his companions.

"Partly, it doesn't sound good. Get everyone together and Ta matoran will tell us their tale"


End file.
